German courses in Dublin and Ireland

German verbs are an essential part of the language, and mastering them is necessary to communicate effectively in German. In this article, we will explain German verbs in English, covering the basics of conjugation, tenses, and modal verbs.

Conjugation

German verbs are conjugated to show different tenses, moods, and persons. The infinitive form of a verb in German always ends in "-en," such as "machen" (to do) or "sprechen" (to speak). To conjugate a verb, you remove the "-en" ending and add a new ending depending on the tense, mood, and person.

For example, the verb "machen" (to do) in the present tense for the first person singular (I) would be "ich mache." For the second person singular (you), it would be "du machst." And for the third person singular (he/she/it), it would be "er/sie/es macht." The same verb in the past tense for the first person singular would be "ich machte," for the second person singular "du machtest," and for the third person singular "er/sie/es machte."

Tenses

German has six tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. The present tense is used to describe actions happening now or regularly, while the past tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. The future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future, while the present perfect tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the recent past.

The past perfect tense is used to describe actions that were completed before another action in the past, while the future perfect tense is used to describe actions that will be completed before another action in the future.

Present tense (Präsens):

• The present tense in German is used to describe actions that are happening right now or regularly happen. To form the present tense, simply take the infinitive of the verb and add the appropriate conjugation depending on the subject.

Example:

Ich spiele Tennis. (I play tennis.)

Present perfect tense (Perfekt):

• The present perfect tense in German is used to describe actions that happened in the recent past or have a connection to the present. To form the present perfect tense, use the auxiliary verb "haben" or "sein" in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Example:

Ich habe Tennis gespielt. (I have played tennis.)

Simple past tense (Präteritum):

• The simple past tense in German is used to describe actions that happened in the past, usually completed actions. To form the simple past tense, use the stem of the verb and add the appropriate conjugation depending on the subject.

Example:

Ich spielte Tennis. (I played tennis.)

Past perfect tense (Plusquamperfekt):

• The past perfect tense in German is used to describe actions that happened before another past action. To form the past perfect tense, use the auxiliary verb "haben" or "sein" in the simple past tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Example:

Ich hatte Tennis gespielt, bevor es regnete. (I had played tennis before it rained.)

Future tense (Futur):

• The future tense in German is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. To form the future tense, use the auxiliary verb "werden" in the present tense, followed by the infinitive of the main verb.

Example:

Ich werde Tennis spielen. (I will play tennis.)

Future perfect tense (Futur II):

• The future perfect tense in German is used to describe actions that will have been completed in the future. To form the future perfect tense, use the auxiliary verb "werden" in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb and the auxiliary verb "haben" or "sein" in the infinitive.

Example:

Ich werde Tennis gespielt haben. (I will have played tennis.)

Modal verbs

German has six modal verbs: können (can), dürfen (may), müssen (must), sollen (should), wollen (want), and mögen (like). Modal verbs are used to express attitudes or opinions about actions, such as ability, permission, obligation, suggestion, desire, and preference.

Modal verbs are conjugated differently than regular verbs, and they are always followed by another verb in the infinitive form without "zu." For example, "Ich kann schwimmen" (I can swim), "Du solltest ins Kino gehen" (You should go to the cinema), and "Er will Deutsch lernen" (He wants to learn German).

In conclusion, German verbs are an essential aspect of the language, and mastering them is crucial to communicate effectively. Conjugation, tenses, and modal verbs are the basics of German verbs, and understanding them is essential to speak and write German fluently.